Paw in Hand Veterinary Care

11/26/2024

We will be closed Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th so our hardworking staff can celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.

Please call TODAY to request medication refills so that we have plenty of time to process and have them ready for you to pick up tomorrow, Wednesday the 27th.

If your pet is experiencing an emergency, please call El Paso Emergency Vet at 915-545-1148

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our wonderful patients and clients!!

11/21/2024

With the holidays fast approaching it’s important to keep your pet safe from foods that may be toxic or trigger illness.

We all love our pets and want to treat them extra special during the holidays, but giving them foods they’re unaccustomed to or toxic can lead to gastrointestinal upset, pancreatitis, or worse! It’s best to adhere to your pets’ regular diet to ensure they’re healthy and happy.

The image below provides a list of common foods that can cause real trouble for your beloved pets. Please keep them safe this holiday season.

11/05/2024

Mama is a 3-4 year old Corgi mix who was picked up as a stray in Tularosa in April. She had a litter of puppies who have all been adopted, but sweet Mama is still looking for her furever home!

Mama is house trained and makes friends with all of the other shelter dogs. She is sweet and mellow and is a staff favorite!

Mama is being spayed today and is available for adoption for the cost of her vaccines ($35).

Please contact Tularosa Animal Shelter at 575-585-2233 if you’d like to bring Mama home!

11/01/2024

Happy Halloween to all the pets and their people! Show us your costumes in the comments below!

Remember to keep candy and wrappers away from our furry friends. We hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!

10/29/2024

Public service announcement!

What to do with expired or unused medications, especially controlled drugs, can be a conundrum. If you have any of these (for human or animal use) sitting around, consider the take-back options for legal and safe disposal.

Remember that flushing them can cause drug residues in waterways, tossing in the trash could leave them open to abuse, and while we can take back some medications as a courtesy for disposal, controlled drugs are a stickier issue.

The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications fro...

10/02/2024

The dachshund on the left of the photo is a healthy 12 pounds. The Chihuahua mix on the right has about the same size skeleton but is supporting 22 pounds of body weight!

Obesity in dogs can be associated with many illnesses including diabetes, pancreatitis, arthritis, and certain cancers. Despite the risks, it’s one of the most common findings in physical exams on well-loved pets.

We know it can be hard to know when your pet is too heavy. Weight gain usually happens gradually, and when we see our pets daily it can be hard to see the pounds creeping up.

If you aren’t sure if you are feeding the right amount, ask your veterinarian! Feeding according to package directions on dog food can lead you astray because if the food is designed for all life stages, that means that the recommended serving size is enough for growing puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, etc. Intact dogs require more calories than spayed or neutered dogs. Dogs who get a lot of exercise can need more calories than those who are couch potatoes.

One common mistake is feeding too many treats and snacks. Consider that eating a half a hot dog is for a 10 pound dog like eating 10 hot dogs would be for a 200 pound person. If your dog enjoys getting treats throughout the day, think about feeding their measured meals gradually as “treats” instead of from a bowl.

Please no negative comments: the owners of the obese dog pictured are committed to getting this sweet girl healthier and the diet starts today!

09/18/2024

Edit: we are back online! Thanks for your patience!

Phone/internet issues this morning we are working to correct. Please be patient and if you have urgent concerns, message us on facebook- we will keep a close eye on messenger today since our other means of contact are down. We apologize for any inconvenience!

09/11/2024

This is Blue! She is an approximately 18 to 24 month Heeler mix weighing 45 pounds. Blue is very friendly and has a lot of love to give! She has been a resident of Alamogordo Animal Control since September, 2023!

Blue would do well in an active home with children age 10 and up. She would probably do best without cats or other small animals or small livestock. Blue would be a FABULOUS agility or obedience dog, and would probably excel in sports like dock diving, scent work, and lure coursing! But most of all, she will be your very best friend!

Blue was spayed and vaccinated today at Paw in Hand Veterinary Care, and will be ready for adoption soon! Her adoption fee will be $10 (ten-dollars) plus tax since she’s now spayed and current on vaccines.

If you’d like to give this gorgeous, smart, fun pup a home, please go meet her at Alamogordo Animal Control!!

08/16/2024

We have a strict policy at Paw in Hand that every patient without a medical contraindication must be rabies vaccinated. Not only is it required by law, but it’s crucial to public health! We do occasionally have clients say “Oh, rabies isn’t really an issue here,” or “My cat doesn’t ever go outside so she doesn’t need to get vaccinated.” Unfortunately, rabies is always a potential risk. Please see below for a story about a litter of puppies exposed to rabies in Texas; the puppies subsequently exposed or potentially exposed many people in Colorado before two puppies became sick, were euthanized, and tested positive for rabies.

There are a few take home messages here: first, rabies is completely preventable with vaccination. (Although the puppies in the story may have been too young to vaccinate, as 12 weeks is the minimum age to ensure effective immunization, if their mother had been vaccinated there’s a high chance the pups would have had immunity when exposed via a dead skunk.) If your dog or cat has a potential rabies exposure, if previously vaccinated, all they may need is a booster. If they haven’t been vaccinated, a prolonged quarantine is required. If they haven’t been vaccinated and they bite, scratch, or lick someone, they will need to be quarantined or even euthanized if they are acting sick.

Second, wildlife vectors of rabies persist across the country (with regional variants of the virus associated with bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes in the continental United States). There is nowhere in the U.S. that is rabies-free (except Hawaii!). Exposures may not be known since dogs and cats may consume dead animals they find, leaving no evidence of exposure.

Please be rabies aware. Make sure your pets (and livestock, when applicable) are up to date on rabies vaccination. Report any animal bites to your healthcare provider and make sure they complete a bite report so animal control can verify vaccination status of the biting animal. If you or your pet find sick or dead wildlife (especially bats, foxes, or skunks in this area), contact the appropriate local authorities (NM Dept of Game and Fish, sheriff office) and include any information about potential exposure to you or your pets.

https://coloradosun.com/2024/08/15/rabies-puppy-adoption-colorado-human-cases/

https://cdphe.colorado.gov/press-release/state-health-officials-ask-attendees-of-a-puppy-adoption-event-to-contact-a-hotline

More than 35 people have been referred for rabies post-exposure treatment after a puppy adoption event in Sheridan, Colorado.

07/24/2024

Bring your pet to the vet for nothing more than petting and treats! We love social visits from our patients, and it helps them develop positive associations with the clinic.

06/29/2024

Fireworks are coming. NOW is the time to order those anti-anxiety meds! Don’t wait until July 3rd.

As a reminder - we will be closed Thursday July 4th and Friday July 5th. We hope you and your pets have a safe and fun-filled Independence Day!

06/18/2024

This is a great way to help the animals affected by the fires in Mescalero and Ruidoso!

06/17/2024

It’s a scorcher, and this heat doesn’t look like it will be subsiding any time soon!

Heat exhaustion/stroke in dogs happens faster than you might think! As a rule of thumb, outdoor activities should be limited to 15 minutes when temperatures are above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and dogs should not be outside at all when temperatures are above 90. Keep in mind that cement, pavement, and even dirt surfaces are typically much hotter than the ambient air outside.

Some dogs, such as those with flat faces, long-haired dogs, and the young and old, are the most sensitive to the heat and should be monitored extremely closely when outside during the summer.

If your dog is experiencing any of the following symptoms, seek shade and a cooled area immediately and continue to monitor them:
Heavy panting
Increased heart rate
Thick saliva and drooling
Vomiting or diarrhea
Bright red tongue and gums
Staggering or shaking
Lethargy

According to AKC Canine Health Foundation:

“If you suspect heat stroke, stop all activity and walk or carry your dog to a cool, shaded area with good air circulation. If the symptoms do not improve quickly and you are unable to take your dog’s temperature take your dog to your veterinarian immediately.

If you have access to a re**al thermometer, you should take your dog’s temperature. If the temperature is less than 105F, you should still consider this an emergency and immediately take your dog to your veterinarian. If the temperature is higher than 105F, using cool, not cold, water; sponge or hose your dog’s entire body, paying particular attention to the underside. Use of a fan is also helpful. After a few minutes retake the temperature and repeat this procedure until the temperature is reduced to 103F. Do not reduce the temperature below 103F, as the temperature may descend to critical levels.

Immediately take your dog to your veterinarian as soon as the temperature reaches 103F or if you are unable to reduce the temperature significantly.” - https://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/caring-for-your-dog/heat-stroke-and-heat-exhaustion.html

05/24/2024

It’s foxtail season! Each year, foxtail plants drop hundreds of seeds that they harden as they dry out. Once stepped on, the barb-shaped seeds hook into your dog's skin. The sharp awns can work their way into any part of your dog's body, including their nose, eyes, ears, mouth, and feet, causing serious damage.

It’s important to keep your yard free of foxtails by removing them while they’re still green and soft.

Symptoms of an embedded foxtail vary depending on the body part that’s affected. Some common symptoms in locations on the head are: head shaking, coughing, sneezing, or a head tilt. For foxtails stuck in a foot you might see limping, swelling, or an open sore (with or without discharge). Most pets will have swelling and will also excessively lick any area of their body or foot that has an embedded foxtail.

Foxtails, if left untreated, can do quite a bit of tissue damage and cause a lot of discomfort or pain. The X-ray below shows a foxtail that embedded in a dog’s foot and continued to work its way up the leg, along the bone, creating a tract of infection.

If you think your pet may be experiencing this issue, please schedule an appointment with your regular veterinarian.

05/23/2024

Arthritis is one of the most common afflictions seen in aging animals. Fortunately, we have many excellent treatments for arthritis available for both dogs and cats. As well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), omega-3 fatty acids and other joint supplements, we are excited to now have a monoclonal antibody therapy option as well.

Monoclonal antibodies are unique in that they interact with only one molecule in the body, making side effects very rare. Librela, a canine monoclonal antibody therapy available since 2023 in the U.S. but in use for a couple years in Europe and Canada, binds to nerve growth factor in the joints. Nerve growth factor is primarily responsible for signaling pain secondary to inflammation in the joints. By binding with this molecule, Librela inhibits the signals of pain.

Jasmine, pictured here, has suffered for years with debilitating arthritis in her knee joints. Unfortunately, she developed a gastric ulcer from a non-veterinary NSAID, so we decided to try Librela while her ulcer healed. Jasmine‘s owner reports that she has not been so mobile or playful for years! We are so glad this new product has relieved her pain.

Librela, as well as the feline equivalent Solensia, are given as monthly injections at the clinic. Please call or email us if you are interested in trying this product for your pet.

05/16/2024

Attention rabbit owners! Are you aware that a vaccine is available to protect against Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease virus? This deadly disease, classified until the last few years as a foreign animal disease, is now endemic in New Mexico as well as other states (is considered to be permanently present in wild rabbit populations). It can be spread through hay and other food sources as well as indirect contact with wild hares and rabbits. We have seen deaths in farmed and pet rabbits in Alamogordo, confirmed by the state lab to be due to RHDV. We carry the vaccine to protect your rabbit, and recommend it for all rabbits, both farmed and pet, regardless of whether they are indoor or spend time outside. 

05/03/2024

Thank you, Cloudcroft School, for inviting us to Career Day! Vivian was a great ambassador for the wonderful profession of veterinary medicine and the kids were very enthusiastic.